“As part of their study, scientists working with Dario Riccardo Valenzano at the Max Planck Institute in Cologne treated a number of 9.5-week-old killifish with antibiotics to clear out their intestinal flora. They then exposed these middle-aged animals to the intestinal contents of younger, 6-week-old killifish in an aquarium. When the animals ‘taste’ the particles swimming around them, they also inevitably absorb the gut bacteria in the faecal remains swimming in the water. In this way, the bacteria from the young fish are successfully ‘transplanted’ into the older organism and colonize its gut. The older fish that receive the young intestinal microbiota not only live considerably longer than fish that were exposed only to their own gut microbiota or to those of animals of the same age, these ‘geriatric’ killifish, aged 16 weeks, are also as agile as young fish.”

Now, I’m not saying to go eating anything unsavory, but this is some interesting research! What will the future bring?